Contributor Opinion By Theresa Defino: A Rotten Phone Call

This Contributor Opinion is by Theresa Defino:

Photo by Brad Rourke

I was on the phone when the call came in, and not recognizing the number, I let it go to voicemail. I was surprised that the unknown caller actually left a message. When I heard it, my surprise turned to anger.

“Hi, are you frustrated with your elected officials?” she asked. Well, sometimes I am, with some….but which ones was she talking about?

“Recently, [the caller went on] The Washington Post exposed how the powerful teachers union controls the Apple Ballot. Because the Apple Ballot wins big in Montgomery county, candidates at all levels depend on it to get elected. Candidates can pay up to $6000 to the union.

Voters trust the teachers handing out the big Red Apple ballots and vote for the union-suggested candidates. But are they voting for the teachers’ choice? No, it’s the union’s choice.

Officials who depend on the Apple Ballot to get elected feel compelled to listen to the teachers’ union instead of voters. The Washington Post has called the apple ballot a toxic influence in Montgomery County.

Don’t be fooled by glossy candidate mailings that appear to be from candidates but are really from the MCEA [Montgomery County Education Association] union.

Teachers are great, but union control of Montgomery County is not. Learn more at rottenappleballot.com. Rotten apple ballot.com.”

Then she mumbled something fast about “removal from calls, press eight.”

Well, thanks, I don’t want any more calls like this, I thought, but you can’t press eight on a voice mail message.

I was stunned. By now I am used to robo calls but I usually expect to be told who to vote for, not against.

And I usually can easily tell who the message is from. I know that the electoral system, in my view, has recently been polluted since the Supreme Court’s Citizen United decision allowing the funding of ads by shadowy groups, but so far they’ve been about a candidates by name. Not this one.

I immediately went to the rottenappleballot.com website and was confronted with a huge, ugly photograph of-you guessed it. The only name I could find on the site was Ruth Jacobs, who identified herself as an “M.D.” with Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government. I had never heard of her, or them.

After hunting around on the site, I still knew nothing about the organization behind this effort. More importantly, the message I again got was this: Vote against anyone on the Apple Ballot.

How’s that for educating the voters?

Wanting to know more, I dialed 301-641-4678 the number captured by caller ID, and heard an annoyed-sounding message from a woman saying to contact the organization by email only, and thanking me for “not leaving a message.” That’s rich-she can call me, but I can’t call her.

The phone message and the website made me furious for a number of reasons. The statement that candidates pay to be endorsed is patently false. The statement that elected officials listen only to the union and not voters is not only false , it’s nonsensical. Do union members not count as voters?

Two years ago, I was one of a handful of people who helped Laura Berthiaume get elected to the Board of Education. Laura was endorsed by MCEA but did not give the union a dime. She never was and two years later still is not beholden to the union. While critical of the union, The Post, by the way, never used the word “toxic” and made it clear that a number of candidates had not given MCEA money. And a 400-word editorial is not an “expose.”

When The Washington Post editorial board printed its “expose” of MCEA, Laura responded, noting that it is outgoing Superintendent Jerry Weast, not the board, that has “the coziest” relationship with the union.

The admonition to voters to “not be fooled” into thinking candidate materials came from the candidates shows basic distain for voters’ intellect. What I get from MCEA says MCEA and it’s not glossy. And what I get from candidates is from the candidates; I’m pretty sure I can tell the difference.

I also don’t buy that Montgomery County is “controlled” by this union or any other union. Seriously, the whole county? Why not mention the firefighters’ union or any other group that makes endorsements?

And really, I can’t even vote for folks who are running unopposed? Apparently I only have the rotten apples’ permission to vote in the District 3 County Council election, because MCEA didn’t endorse anyone in that race.

This “Maryland Citizens’” negative and deeply cynical message, right before the election, gave me a stomach ache, just like from eating a rotten apple.

Sure, I’ve voted for candidates on the Apple Ballot in the past and I am sure I will again. I’ve also given my support to those, such as Cheryl Kagan, who did not win that endorsement.

But I decide who to vote for, after studying the issues and candidates as best I can. And I surely won’t vote against an entire slate just because one decidedly unpleasant, semi-anonymous phone caller told me I should.

Theresa Defino

This is a Contributor Opinion. Rockville Central encourages readers to submit such pieces for consideration — the more voices the better. Simply send them to [email protected]. We ask that all such contributions be civil and we reserve the right to edit (in consultation with the author) or reject. Contributor opinions should not be seen as reflecting opinions held by Rockville Central editors, as they are just as frequently at odds with our own views. That’s the whole point!

Please also note that Rockville Central does not endorse candidates in election campaigns. Supporters of all candidates are encouraged to submit opinion pieces for consideration.

Citizen’s Forum by Theresa Defino: After The Beall’s Grant Ruling

This Citizen Forum entry is by Theresa Defino. She delivered it at the 9/13/10 Mayor and Council meeting:

While I am speaking during Citizen’s Forum, I would also like my comments to be considered under the public hearing on city growth scheduled for later in this meeting.

As you know, last month the court invalidated approval for Beall’s Grant II, saying the city failed, basically, to do the math correctly when it relied on MCPS estimates of how many elementary-school-aged children would be generated by this affordable housing development. This was a blow to all of us who worked for more than two years to see this project break ground.

By the way-no one call tell me, had the city figured the capacity through some fictitious “correct” way, what the estimate would have been. Apparently the principle — not the real impact — is all that matters here.

Now there’s no room left at Beall Elementary, as future capacity is being held by luxury apartment buildings that got in the queue before Montgomery Housing Partnership.

Meanwhile, there’s a house directly across the street from Beall Elementary. It’s a tear-down — as a huge sign trumpets that a “classic home starting at $800,000″ will go up in its place. The future children of these new, wealthy residents will be able to go to Beall, despite it being over capacity, and that is perfectly legal.

A few doors away, a three-bedroom house at 322 Beall Avenue recently sold for $630,00. On the other side of Beall Elementary, on Lynch, a five-bedroom split foyer is listed at $598,000.

I guess the new owners of both these homes might have a few kids, and they, too, can send them to Beall Elementary.

This house on Beall Ave., incidentally, is two doors away from some of the folks who filed the suit to stop Beall’s Grant. Presumably, it’s OK if their neighbors have kids who go to Beall, because they don’t come from low or middle income families.

People who can’t afford these prices but want something new and nice-like MHP was planning for them — can’t move to the west end if they have kids.

I refuse to accept that the last two years I spent advocating for Beall’s Grant II were in vain. I ask that the city and the mayor and council take action in the wake of this court ruling so that this project can go forward. Work with the school system to enlarge or replace Beall Elementary.

Review the long list of West End projects hogging the future school capacity to see if any can be removed, especially those that are not financially viable in a recession. Study reworking the APHO to give priority to lower and moderate income projects, and to non-profit developers.

We must find ways to increase the housing AND school capacity for low and moderate income children. Unless we address this inequity, what we are left with is nothing short of economic segregation and forced childlessness.

Anyone is invited to address Rockville’s Mayor and Council at Citizen’s Forum, before every meeting. We invite anyone who does so to send us there remarks, which we will consider for publication at Rockville Central, as a public service. Like all opinion pieces, our publishing a Citizen Forum article does not we mean we endorse the author’s opinion.

Contributor Opinion by Theresa Defino: Politics and Facial Expressions

>I’ve been thinking a lot about my friend Jeff, a newspaper reporter who made an uneasy transition to television. See, Jeff had an expressive face. He smiled, he raised an eyebrow as he read the news, perhaps a bit too much, according to his producers. To train his face to behave, Jeff wore tape on his brows for a while.

Perhaps you’ve caught your reflection in the mirror while in the barber’s chair or at the hairdressers. Did your face do some things you weren’t aware of? Your mouth drops open, your eyes widen, maybe you even rolled them a bit?

Jeff came to mind as I watched the candidate forum on Saturday morning, hosted by this very Website. I listened as City Councilman Piotr Gajewski answered-expertly I thought-questions posed by the host. As an incumbent, Piotr has a wealth of experience.

He also brings to the post business skills, as evidenced by some of the money-saving initiatives he has sponsored and participated in, such as keeping taxes down, hiring an in-house attorney and trimming the 2010 budget. Piotr also has a law degree. I feel honored that a man of Piotr’s caliber represents us, and believe he is a good colleague and complements those who bring different but equally valuable experiences to the Council.

But I was troubled as I sat there. Piotr was defending himself from what he has rightly termed “a bum rap.” He has been accused of contributing to an air of incivility on the City Council because he has rolled his eyes on occasion. He has admitted to rolling his eyes, and promised to try and stop. But isn’t this a little silly, and not a measure of his fitness to serve?

Every candidate seems to have “civility” at the core of his or her platform. Yet, to me, what is “uncivil” is voting against something because you felt personally “hurt” that you weren’t included in some discussions. What is “uncivil” is being so thin-skinned you derail serious discussions. That’s what I have witnessed at some Mayor and Council meetings.

I have known Piotr for more than a year and have personally worked with him on a number of issues, and found him to be helpful, attentive and resourceful. He is the only elected city official who meets regularly with citizens at Town Hall meetings that he holds.

It is reasonable to expect that citizens will bring facts and not harmful rumors to the council at its public meetings. Piotr once expressed disappointment when a teacher came to a meeting waving a sign that said “layoffs” when none were even remotely under consideration but he did not behave uncivilly.

In contrast to some who are running for a council seat, Piotr is not one of those people who might grin and greet you warmly in public yet privately disparage you.

What might be less at the top of voters’ minds is that Piotr is a world-class conductor and musical director for the National Philharmonic. He gets paid to use his face. To show emotion.

But I am less concerned about what Piotr’s face is doing than the work he has accomplished, and wants to keep doing, on behalf of the citizens of Rockville. Maybe it’s good he’s not a practiced politician or a stone-faced newsman like my friend Jeff was striving to be.

I would simply ask that you judge Piotr by his record of service to the city and give him your vote on November 3rd.

Theresa Defino

This is a contributor opinion. Rockville Central encourages readers to submit such opinions for consideration — the more voices the better. We especially welcome people who disagree with us. We ask that all such contributions be civil and we reserve the right to edit (in consultation with the author) or reject. Contributor opinions should not be seen as reflecting opinions held by Rockville Central editors, as they are just as frequently at odds with our own views. That’s the whole point!

Rockville Central does not endorse candidates. We are encouraging towards all people who choose to run for office the city and try our best to make ourselves open to all. We actively encourage candidates to submit opinion pieces and other news. We don’t include every last bit, but we try to be fair to all and give useful information about what is happening.